Display-case.



"T. m. BENDALL.

DISPLAY CASE.

(Application med July l, 1901;)

Patented Sept. I7, |90I.

(No Model.)

JNVENTOR.

f y M A Zylom/EY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEQfv THOMAS M. BENDALL, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

.Y DISPLAY-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,903, dated September'l'?, 1901.

Application filed July l, 1901. Serial No. 66,724. (No model.) Y

T0 alt whom t nifty concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. BENDALL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, Shelby county, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DisplayCases, of which the following is a specilica'tion.

My invention'relates in general to displaycases, and more particularly to portable sam- In the drawings, lFigure l is a perspective ofv my case, showing saine fully open and in the lowest position which it may take. Fig; 2 is a partial side elevation showing a different position of the boxes and also indicating the position of the top box when closed. ,Fig 3 is a detail.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views, my invention comprises a carrying-case having sides A, a back B and bottom C, integral therewith to brace and stiften said sides, a front D, hinged near the bottom of the case, and a top E, hinged to the top portionF ofthe back, which portion is hinged to the lower part of the back B. The front D closes againstthe sides A and the top E catches over it and holds itin place. Latches also may be provided to secure the beforementioned front, back, and sides, if so desired.

G, Fig. 3, is a U-shaped arm pivoted at 1I against the inside of the sides A on opposite sides-of the case and connected by pivots I on each side with similar lazy-tongs J J, which are in turn fastened to the opposite ends of the display-boxes K K2, the., the pivots I being in a section of the lazy-tongs above the center box, so that the boxes will viixed pivot.

be stably supported when the lower ones rest on the tioor or table. The lazy-tongsJ J have arms jj of unequal length, the shorter ones of which, j, are fastened permanently to the ends of the boxes, preferably at the center, as shown, the longer arms, j', being pivoted to them in the usual lnanner. Then open, the upper boxes K11 K10, the., may-occupy one ot' two positions, in both of which the bottom C of the case and the box K rest on the counter or iioor and preferably on the same level, and in the first of which the arm G, as shown in Fig. l, rests against the under side of the K9,with the pivoted end carrying the box K7 below it and below the fixed center H. In the second position (shown in Fig. 2) the free end of the arm G rests against the box K5 and is lower than the pivot 2, so that the box K7 is brought higher than said 'lhe dotted end G' and the circular arcs X and Yshow the original position of the arm Gand the movement necessary to bring it to the position shown. When thus supported in either position,the case and box K form two firm supports, and the display may therefore be made Without propping up or supporting the boxes by any extraneous means and with the boxes spread out to admit free inspection of the samples. In Fig. 2 I also show by the dot-and-dash line the position of the top box K when closed into the oase, as also the position of the arm G. When closed, the boxes rest one on the next, with the bottom box K rest-ing on the bottom U, the arms j' of the lazy-tongs being then inclined downward from right to left instead of from left to right, as when extended.

In use the sample-case is placed on the table or counterand the top side opened. The arm G is then depressed toward the back (the left in Fig. 2) and the box K7, attached to it,

is raised. The tab L isthen grasped and the bottom box K is raised and drawn well outto one' side. By this movement the top boxes are moved to the .opposite side and pass over the arm G and hold it down. If it isdesired to raise the `upper boxes K11 K10, dac., higher, the arm G is turned ,under and comes against -some one .of the lower boxes, as K5. To close `or rest the boxes, the arm .Gis depressed and ICO held ont of the Way, and the lower boxes are pushedalong the front D until they slip into the case," the arm Gr being then swung over the top into the position G". (Shown dotted in Fig. 2.)

In this description I have used the word box (or boxes) as describing the receptacles in which the articles are to be displayed. I wish it distinctly understood, however, that I do not by this wish to limit myself to any particular form of box or even to limit myself to the use of boxes, since these have nothing to do with my invention, and shelves or racks, either with or without backs, may be used, if so desired, in place of the boxes shown. It is evident, too, that if so desired my invention may be fitted to a permanent stand, in which case the endsAcould be dis-- pensed with, except in so far as they act as supports, or, in other words, supports could be provided for the pivots H instead of the ends A being.,r used.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a display-case, the combination with a plurality ot' displayboxes and similar pairs of lazytongs fastened tothe opposite ends of said boxes, of a U-shaped arm pivoted to said lazy-tongs above the center box, and pivotally supported, substantially as shown and` described. Y

2. In a display-case, the combination with a plurality of display-boxes, and similarpairs of lazy-tongs fastened to the opposite endsol" said boxes, of a Ufshaped arm pivoted to said lazy-tongs above the centerbox, and suitable supports in which said arm is pivoted, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In a display-ease, the combination with similar pairs of lazy-tongs and a plurality of boxes fastened to said tongs, of parallel supporting ends, a U-shaped arm pivotally supported by said ends and pivoted to said lazytongs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a display-case, the combination with similar pairs of lazy-tongs and a plurality of boxes fastened to said tongs, of parallel supporting ends and a U-shaped arm pivotally supported by said ends and pivoted to said lazy-tongs above the center box, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a portable display-case, the combination with similar pairs of lazy-tongs and a plurality of boxes fastened to said tongs, a carrying-ease having.,1r a suitable bottom, parallel ends fastened to said bottom, a back the lower part of which is fastened to said botf tom and ends to stiffen them, the upper .part being hinged to said lower. part, a top hinged toV said back, and a hinged front, of a U- shaped arm pivotally supported by said parallel ends and pivoted to said lazy-tongs above the center box, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification .in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS 'M. BENDALL.

IVitnesses: GEO. E. NEUHARDT, J. II. WEATHERFORD. 

